Dr Mark Ford and Ford Family Chiropractic now provide a weight loss program that is customized exclusively for each individuals particular needs - with improved diet, energy levels and overall state of wellness. This program was created by renowned doctors, psychologists, and exercise trainers and is administered only by physicians.  The Doctors Weight Loss Solution program offers affordable, proven weight loss with fast, safe results. 

Call to get additional program details, or to set your appointment to finally reach the weight loss goals you've been unable to achieve with other programs. Call Ford Family Chiropractic at 806-665-7261.  Let's all Live Well and Be Well!

In today's age of health and fitness, more and more kids are involved in sporting activities. Although being part of a football, soccer or Little League team is an important rite of passage for many kids, parents and their children could be overlooking the importance of proper nutrition and body conditioning needed for preventing injuries on and off the playing field.

"The majority, if not all, sports are good, provided that the child prepares appropriately," says Dr. Carl Heigl, president of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Sports Injuries and Physical Fitness. "Without proper preparation, playing any sport can turn into a bad experience. There are structural and physical developmental issues that need to be taken into consideration before children undertake certain sports."

Highly competitive sports such as football, gymnastics and wrestling follow rigorous training schedules that can be potentially dangerous to an adolescent or teenager.

The best advice for parents who have young athletes in the family is to help them prepare their bodies and to learn to protect themselves from sports-related injuries before they happen.

"Proper warm up, stretching and weight-lifting exercises are essential for kids involved in sports, but many kids learn improper stretching or weight-lifting techniques, making them more susceptible to injury," says Dr. Steve Horwitz. "Parents need to work with their kids and make sure they receive the proper sports training."

"Young athletes should begin with a slow jog to warm up the legs and arms and stretch all the major muscle groups," says Dr. Horwitz. "Kids involved in football, baseball, gymnastics and swimming should develop a routine that includes strengthening exercises for the abdomen, the low-back muscles, arms and shoulders."

Proper nutrition and hydration are also extremely vital. "A student athlete may need to drink eight to ten 8-ounce glasses of water for proper absorption. Breakfast should be the most important meal of the day. Also, eating a healthy meal before and after practice or a game allows for proper replenishment and refuels the body," adds Dr. Horwitz.

Young athletes today often think they are invincible. The following tips can help ensure your child does not miss a step when it comes to proper fitness, stretching, training and rest that the body needs to engage in sporting activities.

Encourage your child to:

• Wear the proper equipment. Certain contact sports, such as football and hockey, can be dangerous if the equipment is not properly fitted. Make sure all items of equipment— including helmets, pads, and shoes— fit your child or adolescent. Talk to your child's coach or trainer if the equipment is damaged.
• Eat healthy meals. Make sure your young athlete is eating a well-balanced diet and does not skip meals. Avoid high-fat foods, such as candy bars and fast food. At home, provide fruit rather than cookies, and vegetables rather than potato chips.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Certain sports, such as gymnastics, wrestling and figure skating, require your young athlete to follow strict dietary rules. Be sure your child does not feel pressured into being too thin and that he/she understands proper nutrition and caloric intake is needed for optimal performance and endurance.
• Drink water. Hydration is a key element to optimal fitness. Teenage athletes should drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Younger athletes should drink five to eight 8-ounce glasses of water.
• Drink milk. Make sure your child has enough calcium included in his/her diet. ACA recommends 1 percent or skim milk for children over 2 years old rather than whole milk because of its high fat content. The calcium in milk is essential for healthy bones and reduces the risk of joint-and muscle- related injuries.
• Avoid sugar-loaded, caffeinated and carbonated drinks. Sports drinks are a good source of replenishment for those kids engaged in long-duration sports, such as track and field.
• Follow a warm-up routine. Be sure your child or his/her coach includes a warm-up and stretching session before every practice, game or meet. A slow jog, jumping rope and/or lifting small weights reduces the risk of torn or ripped muscles. Flexibility becomes a preventive key when pushing to score that extra goal or make that critical play.
• Take vitamins daily. A multi-vitamin and Vitamin C are good choices for the young athlete. Vitamin B and amino acids may help reduce the pain from contact sports. Thiamine can help promote healing. Also consider Vitamin A to strengthen scar tissue.
• Avoid trendy supplements. Kids under the age of 18 should avoid the use of performance-enhanced supplements, such as creatine. Instead, they should ask their coach or trainer to include weekly weight-training and body-conditioning sessions in their workout.
• Get plenty of rest. Eight hours of sleep is ideal for the young athlete. Lack of sleep and rest can catch up with the athlete and decrease performance. Sluggishness, irritability and loss of interest could indicate that your child is fatigued.

Discuss your childrens health and fitness needs with Dr. Mark Ford, Ford Family Chiropractic, Pampa, TX.

High Blood Pressure High blood pressure (HBP) is a common unrecognized cause of headaches. And, HBP itself is very common – according to the American Heart Association, approximately one-third of American adults have HBP. And nearly one-third of these people don’t know they have HBP. This is a big problem. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health has recommended the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). This diet has been shown to reduce high blood pressure within two weeks.

Daily recommendations include • 7 to 8 servings of grains • 4 to 5 servings of vegetables • 4 to 5 servings of fruit • 2 to 3 servings of low-fat or non-fat dairy • 2 to 3 servings of fats and oils • 4 to 5 servings per week of nuts, seeds, and dry beans.

Discuss your headaches with Dr. Ford on your next visit, or if you're not already a patient at Ford Family Chiropractic and suffer with headaches call  (806) 665-7261 to schedule your appointment.

Have a Safe and Happy Independence Day! 

We're all looking forward to the Annual Fireworks Display at Recreation Park & Pampa Rodeo Grounds.

Headaches are an unfortunate and painful part of life for many Americans. In fact, an estimated five percent of adults in this country suffer from chronic migraines or severe headache pain.

We spend billions of dollars each year on over-the-counter and prescription pain medication for relief from those nagging headaches. But these drugs have the potential to cause even more pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a type of medication including OTC brands such as Advil, Motrin, and Excedrin, have been associated with side effects like stomach bleeding and ulcers, and even liver failure. In fact, one possible side effect of many NSAIDs is a headache!

And if you manage to avoid the side effects, these medications really only mask or diminish symptoms. But it’s the cause that counts and that's where chiropractic comes in. Here’s how: The nervous system is the “master system” in the body, controlling and coordinating all other systems – respiratory, immune, circulatory, etc. Sometimes, there are areas in the spine where one or more of the vertebrae may have experienced a loss of function, creating pressure on, or otherwise irritating, spinal nerves. This irritation interferes with the signals, or “communication,” traveling over those nerves, which can compromise the health and proper function of every system in the body. Regular adjustments by your chiropractor can positively affect the nervous system, aid nerve transmission and thus, the body’s ability to heal itself.

Still a skeptic? Scientific research indicates chiropractic is an effective, natural answer to headache pain. During a major 1995 study comparing several weeks of drug therapy to several weeks of chiropractic care, 82 percent of patients given drug therapy reported side effects including drowsiness, weight gain and dry mouth. Heart-related problems and glaucoma also were associated with the drug therapy. On the other hand, chiropractic patients reported no side effects. And after four weeks of treatment, patients who used drugs began having headaches again, while members of the chiropractic group continued to express headache relief, as well as higher levels of energy as compared to the drug therapy group.

So put down the pain-relief medications, talk to Dr. Ford about your chronic headaches, and experience a natural, drug-free approach to headache relief, today!